Help me find an easy craft project for 3rd graders
December 17, 2012 12:41 PM Subscribe
Could someone suggest an easy holiday craft project (less than 30 minutes) for a 3rd grade class to complete during their holiday party?
I'm a room parent for my son's 3rd grade class and I'm planning a small holiday party for the class this Friday. There are about 22 students in the class and I'll have 5 parent volunteers and about 30-45 minutes for the entire party. We've got cookies, fruit and juice boxes handled but I'm stumped for a good craft project. If we can't figure one out, we're just read them a story, but I though a project would be more fun. Here are the criteria
Good for girls and boys
Each kid would be doing their own project, not a group project
Doesn't require a ton of supervision
I guess some glue or tape would be okay...but ideally I'd love a project that didn't need either
I'm fine prepping a large part of it at home and having the kids do final assembly in the classroom
Needs to be ready to transport home when the party is over...no drying time or anything like that.
I'm wide open to suggestions and have access to various craft and big box stores for supplies.
Thanks!
I'm a room parent for my son's 3rd grade class and I'm planning a small holiday party for the class this Friday. There are about 22 students in the class and I'll have 5 parent volunteers and about 30-45 minutes for the entire party. We've got cookies, fruit and juice boxes handled but I'm stumped for a good craft project. If we can't figure one out, we're just read them a story, but I though a project would be more fun. Here are the criteria
Good for girls and boys
Each kid would be doing their own project, not a group project
Doesn't require a ton of supervision
I guess some glue or tape would be okay...but ideally I'd love a project that didn't need either
I'm fine prepping a large part of it at home and having the kids do final assembly in the classroom
Needs to be ready to transport home when the party is over...no drying time or anything like that.
I'm wide open to suggestions and have access to various craft and big box stores for supplies.
Thanks!
How about paper chains? You can replace the glue/tape with a stapler, if you have enough available.
posted by tinymegalo at 12:48 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by tinymegalo at 12:48 PM on December 17, 2012
How about a little pin thingy that kids can make for a relative (or themselves). It's Martha Steward so twee abounds.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:49 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:49 PM on December 17, 2012
Best answer: I was just remarking to my husband how I love those little candy cane reindeers that children make this time of year. Pipe cleaner horns, googly eyes (I think they come in sticker form) and red dot for nose.
posted by dottiechang at 12:50 PM on December 17, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by dottiechang at 12:50 PM on December 17, 2012 [6 favorites]
I always loved school crafts that incorporated my kids' hand-or-finger prints; it doesn't seem like a big thing but when we pull out the hand-print cut-out reindeer ornaments, I always get a little teary.
It's basically this guy but instead of the holly at the top, the kids trace their handprints on brown construction paper*, cut them out, and glue them to the corners, like antlers. The kids could use googly eyes and pom-poms to add eyes and noses.
*When my kids did it, the teacher/parent helper laminated the handprints first and then cut them out in pairs. Each pair was handed back to the proper kid and the kids finished the cutting. They also put their school photos on the backs of the antlers. I can take a picture of one of them if you're interested.
If that one is too Christmasy-themed, maybe cut out snowflakes? Also, you might take a walk through your local craft stores. They always, always have kits and/or suggestions for holiday party crafts.
posted by cooker girl at 12:50 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's basically this guy but instead of the holly at the top, the kids trace their handprints on brown construction paper*, cut them out, and glue them to the corners, like antlers. The kids could use googly eyes and pom-poms to add eyes and noses.
*When my kids did it, the teacher/parent helper laminated the handprints first and then cut them out in pairs. Each pair was handed back to the proper kid and the kids finished the cutting. They also put their school photos on the backs of the antlers. I can take a picture of one of them if you're interested.
If that one is too Christmasy-themed, maybe cut out snowflakes? Also, you might take a walk through your local craft stores. They always, always have kits and/or suggestions for holiday party crafts.
posted by cooker girl at 12:50 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Clove pomander! If it's good enough for the little pig-children in Richard Scarry's Best Christmas Book Ever, it's good enough for ANYONE!
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:01 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:01 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, and: if you decide to do this, get the cloves in bulk from an Asian or Latino grocery store - much cheaper than buying a ton of bottles of McCormick or whatever.
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:02 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:02 PM on December 17, 2012
Best answer: I made these last night and they were super easy and cute. The others in the slideshow seem similarly easy/cute.
posted by jaksemas at 1:25 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jaksemas at 1:25 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Mini gingerbread houses using graham crackers, canned icing, and assorted candy! the children's librarian did this with a group of preschoolers recently and it was a bit too complicated for them, but 3rd grade would be perfect, I think!
posted by firei at 1:28 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by firei at 1:28 PM on December 17, 2012
I don't have a picture available but you can make a tiny angel with cotton twine type string, a blank wooden bead, Sharpies, Elmer's glue* & felt.
Cut felt into triangles (about 1/2" long), you will need two for every angel.
Cut 3 pieces of string. 1 piece about 3 inches long (Body), 2 pieces about 1-1/2" inches long (Arms & Legs).
Take the body string and make a loop and knot on one end. Feed on the bead and knot again to hold the head in place. Tie the Arm string about half way down the string and knot each end. Knot the bottom of the body string to the middle of the leg string and knot each end of the leg string.
Place the figure onto one of the triangles and apply glue then press the other triangle into the glue to make a dress. Use a Sharpie to draw on eyes and a smile.
Now you have an Angel with a halo wearing a dress. You can do this in all white or mix it up with different felt colors and string colors. You can also adapt this into a tiny doll garland by using yarn, leaving the loop off and pulling the yarn apart for hair and using one string for the arms with knots in between the dolls. Excellent use for scraps of felt.
(I made a bunch this year but I first saw them at a craft show in October so not my idea)
posted by jaimystery at 1:35 PM on December 17, 2012
Cut felt into triangles (about 1/2" long), you will need two for every angel.
Cut 3 pieces of string. 1 piece about 3 inches long (Body), 2 pieces about 1-1/2" inches long (Arms & Legs).
Take the body string and make a loop and knot on one end. Feed on the bead and knot again to hold the head in place. Tie the Arm string about half way down the string and knot each end. Knot the bottom of the body string to the middle of the leg string and knot each end of the leg string.
Place the figure onto one of the triangles and apply glue then press the other triangle into the glue to make a dress. Use a Sharpie to draw on eyes and a smile.
Now you have an Angel with a halo wearing a dress. You can do this in all white or mix it up with different felt colors and string colors. You can also adapt this into a tiny doll garland by using yarn, leaving the loop off and pulling the yarn apart for hair and using one string for the arms with knots in between the dolls. Excellent use for scraps of felt.
(I made a bunch this year but I first saw them at a craft show in October so not my idea)
posted by jaimystery at 1:35 PM on December 17, 2012
My mom taught third grade for 15 years. The one thing they did every year that matches your criteria: Ripped paper snowmen: create snowmen, but they cannot use scissors! These always turned out really different & fun! All you need us construction paper ( a lot of white!) and some glue.
Alternatively, they would also make balled-paper snowmen, but that requires an adult to thread the three balls of paper together so the kid can decorate them up like a snowman.
posted by haplesschild at 1:47 PM on December 17, 2012
Alternatively, they would also make balled-paper snowmen, but that requires an adult to thread the three balls of paper together so the kid can decorate them up like a snowman.
posted by haplesschild at 1:47 PM on December 17, 2012
Duct tape rose pencils have been wildly popular in our house lately (may require adult help cutting a zillion squares of duct tape - or make sure you have enough scissors).
If that is too girly, duct tape pencil pouches would work too.
posted by selfmedicating at 1:49 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
If that is too girly, duct tape pencil pouches would work too.
posted by selfmedicating at 1:49 PM on December 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I love all of these ideas!
I was planning to make the candy cane reindeer myself as favors for the kids. I'll investigate to see if I can get stick-on eyes and nose because that might make it a winner. I also love the clove pomander idea. It's useful, smells nice and can be done by a wide variety of skill levels.
Anyway, all of these are great and please feel free to add more as they occur to you.
posted by victoriab at 2:59 PM on December 17, 2012
I was planning to make the candy cane reindeer myself as favors for the kids. I'll investigate to see if I can get stick-on eyes and nose because that might make it a winner. I also love the clove pomander idea. It's useful, smells nice and can be done by a wide variety of skill levels.
Anyway, all of these are great and please feel free to add more as they occur to you.
posted by victoriab at 2:59 PM on December 17, 2012
Similar to the candycane reindeer: clothespin dolls. You can do angels, Santas, reindeer, whatever. You can even use either the solid wood clothespins or the ones with the springs in 'em. Stick-on googly eyes, cut out and glue on little wings, Santa hats, tiny buttons, paper clothes, antlers.....
posted by easily confused at 5:01 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by easily confused at 5:01 PM on December 17, 2012
I don't use social media (much), but the crafty folks in my elementary school are all finding their art project ideas on pinterest.
posted by carterk at 6:51 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by carterk at 6:51 PM on December 17, 2012
If the cookies can be plain gingerbread boys & girls, they can be decorated. You need sturdy plastic baggies of each of several colors of icing, with 1 corner snipped, to pipe the frosting. Not very tidy, but you eat the mistakes, and once they're sugared up, they go home.
posted by theora55 at 8:26 PM on December 17, 2012
posted by theora55 at 8:26 PM on December 17, 2012
Response by poster: Quick update - I made the candy cane reindeers at home with a hot glue gun but the kids went crazy over bending up the pipe cleaner antlers that I had left straight for transport. Another mom brought in a peace dove paper ornament project for the kids to do. All the pieces were already cut out and in little paper envelops so the kids just had to assemble them with glue. It was quick and super cheap. The paper she brought was pages from old books so it had a very cool old-fashioned look. Here is a link to something that looks similar to what we made that day and thanks so much for all the great advice.
posted by victoriab at 7:45 AM on February 3, 2013
posted by victoriab at 7:45 AM on February 3, 2013
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To make them even more useful, they could make their own thank you cards to send out after the holidays. This one might be more tricky, because everyone might not get gifts from extended family members, but perhaps that could be one of the example cards?
posted by k8lin at 12:44 PM on December 17, 2012